Foundation garment



March 20, 1945, K, K, sMYTHE FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed July 19, 1941figa/zg Bi' y.

Patented Mar. 20, 1945 UNITED sfrA'rfas olaFflcE 2,372,13sjf'` lFoUNnAmIoNfGARMENT y Kathrme'xsrythe, Evan-stammtApplication-,dulyaaien, serial No. 403,081 (01..,24-1-3751 2 Claims.

This invention relates to wearing apparel:andaA ing drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a front view of the new and improved type offoundation garment provided in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a back view, of the garment illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view of a combination thread which may be used `inthe practice of the invention; and

Figure 4 represents a fabric woven from the thread shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen ,that the garmentillustrated comprises a back portion 2 jointed by means of seams 4 and 6to side portions 8 and I0, respectively. The side portions 8 and I0 arein turn joined by means of seams i2 and I4 to other side panels I6 andIii which in turn are joined by seams and 22 to from; panel portions 24and 26. The upper panel portion 26 is joined by means of a seam 28approximately at the waistline of the garment to `the lower panelportion 24.

A feature of the present invention consists in the constructionof thelower panel portion 24 of the garment from'a stii, thermoplastic resin'in the form of a thread, preferably having a diameter from about .012inch to about .050 inch woven into a fabric. The thread employed inmaking the lower panel portion 24 is substantially larger in diameterthan ordinary thread and is relatively stiff as compared with ordinarythread, although still retaining a substantial amount of flexibility.The thermoplastic material employed for making the lower front panelportion 24 may be, for example, ethyl cellulose, or a basicthermoplastic resin of vinylidene chloride. One such resin is now madeby the Dow Chemical Company under the trade name of Saran It has atensile strength within the range of about 30,000 lbs. to 60,000 lbs.per square inch, a relatively high refractive index of about 1.63, canbe flexed 250,000 times without fracture and is not affected by water,acids, alkalies, inorganic and most organic chemicals at moderatetemperatures. A thread of this material having a diameter within therange from about .012

inchtoaboutioodnch is excellntfoifthefpurposei I.

ofitnet present nini/entrenan. Itlwill be understoodirf however;'chataother;therrmmlaziticfmaterialslhave.I y

ing similar properties may be employed. The thermoplastic materialemployed should be one which is flexible but which does not stretchsubstantially.

The upper front panel 26 of the garment shown in Figure 1 may beconstructed of the same material as the lower panel 24, or it may beconstructed of a combination of materials. One such combination, forexample, which is preferably employed in accordance with this invention,involves the use of a thermoplastic thread of the same type as thatemployed for the lower panel 24, interwoven or knitted with transverseelastic threads of any conventional or Well known type therebypermitting lateral contraction and expansion but without permittingvertical stretching of the garment. In another form of the invention therelatively stiff thermoplastic thread is made into a vdouble thread bycombining, twisting or interlocking it withv an elastic thread. Thus, asshown in Figure 3, the thermoplastic thread 30 is combined with theelastic thread 32. The Woven or knitted fabric made from this thread(Figure 4) is relatively stiff with some flexibility and substantialelasticity.

The side and back panels 2, 8, I0, I6 and I8 are preferably constructedof an expansible and contractible material of any well known type suchas Lastexf In certain instances it may be desirable to construct one ormore of the panels 2, 8, I0, I6 and I8 from a substantiallynon-expansible and non-contractible material. Thus, as an example, theback panel 2 may be constructed of such a material while the side panels8, I0, I6 and I8 are constructed of an elastic or expansible andcontractible material.

The garment is preferably constructed in such a way that the rise abovethe waist level 28 is relatively small as compared with the lowerportion of the garment below the waistline. The lower part of frontpanel 24 preferably gradually rises, or is higher in the central portion34, thereof, as shown in Figure 1, while the back panel 2 drops belowthe average level of the bot- The garment is the expansible andcontractible woven material shown in Figure 4. Instead of the usualdouble band around the bottom of a corset, the present invention alsoprovides for a single band of stiff thermoplastic thread of thecharacter herein described. It will be understood that the garment maybe varied in size and shape.

The invention provides a comfortable garment.' It eliminates thenecessity of using stays or similar stiiening elements. The arrangementand construction shown makes it possible to eliminate the conventionalband at the bottom of the garment. The invention also provides a garmentwhich iits as high as a corselette but Without straps.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A stayless foundation garment of the character described comprising aplurality of front panel portions including a lower panel portion formed`from a substantially stiff open mesh thermoplastic fabric capable offlexing without stretching, and an upper panel portion adjacent saidlower panel formed from a woven material having substantially stiivertically extending threads and elastic transversely extending threads.

2. A stayless foundation garment of the character described comprising aplurality of panels extending in a generally vertical directionincluding a pair of side panels, a back panel and a front panel joinedtogether to form a one-piece garment, said side panels being formed ofan elastic material, said front panel being divided into an upper paneland a lower panel, said lower panel being formed from an open weavefabric in which the threads thereof are composed of a stiffthermoplastic substance having a diameter from about .012 inch to about.050 inch and said upper panel having vertically extending threadscomposed of the same thermoplastic material interwoven with transversely.extending elastic threads.

KATHERINE K. SMYTHE.

